HC Deb 22 January 1986 vol 90 cc207-8W
Sir Richard Body

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many annual agricultural census forms were filled in and returned by farmers in 1960, 1970, 1980 and for the last year for which the figure is available.

Mrs. Fenner

Comparable figures of the precise numbers of annual forms completed are no longer available for earlier years. The best guide to the trend is provided by the numbers of agricultural holdings in the scope of the annual census, as follows:

England & Wales (thousands of holdings)
1960 350.9
1970 233.4
1980 185.2
1985 183.7